LAHORE: Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq has said that 1802 villages of 16 tehsils will be upgraded with the support of World Bank in the first phase of providing municipal services to villages.
He expressed these views while chairing a meeting here on Thursday to review the progress of the program for providing municipal services in selected villages. Punjab Local Government Secretary Shakeel Ahmed Mian and Special Secretary Asia Gul also attended the meeting. On this occasion, Punjab Rural Municipal Services Company (PRMSC) CEO Asadullah briefed the meeting.
The Minister further said that a survey of the needs of these villages has been conducted, while model municipal services have been provided in 200 villages. He averred that with the support of the World Bank, water supply, sewage and paved street projects will be completed in backward villages. “The tehsils of Bahawalnagar, Khairpur Tamewali, Kahrore Pakka, Shujaabad, Alipur, Taunsa Sharif, Liaquatpur, Rojhan, Kallar Kahar, Noorpur Thal, Esakhel, Kot Momin, Darya Khan, Bhuana, Ahmedpur Sial and Pakpattan are included in the first phase of this programme,” he added.
He disagreed with the proposal from the PRMSC to build piped drains in the villages, saying that due to the culture of cattle farming in the rural society, closed drains with dung can create problems. He directed the PRMSC CEO to take up the matter with the World Bank and emphasise the construction of open drains. “Pumping stations and tube wells should be solarised, while town mapping should be made mandatory before the start of development schemes,” he added.
He ordered the PRMSC to immediately shift to e-tendering, directing the special secretary to contact the concerned authorities. He observed that after the launching of the Suthra Punjab programme, the solid waste component should be removed from the rural development project because sanitation has already been arranged in every village; however, PRMSC can only monitor sanitation in the villages under its administration. He pledged that the Punjab government would complete all projects that prove to be national assets.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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